Osimo

Distance from the riviera: 16 – 24 km.
Visiting time: 4 hours.

THE CITY "WITHOUT HEAD"

Characteristic town of the region, Osimo is known for the saint San Giuseppe, and for the funny name the inhabitants are carrying around: the "without heads", given them beacuse of the beheaded statues of the Council Palace.

GETTING THERE

The route suggests to leave the crowded coasts of the Riviera going towards the inland, where the tourism is less evident. From the coast, take the street statale adriatica 16, direction Ancona. Driving through pitoresque natural landscapes, where different cultivations stay side by side creating a suggestive kaleidoscope of tender colors, you will reach the locality of Stazione di Osimo; at the end of the town turn to the left, taking the windy street to Osimo.

VISITING OSIMO

In order to visit Osimo, we suggest you to park the car outside the city. on the right side of the Vaccaro door, better known as "i tre archi" (the 3 arches), continuing then on foot along the city walls. Following the walls, on your right, a short and steep path brings you to the fonte magna, a spring where Pompeo Magno -tells the tradition- watered his horses. Still along the walls, walk on and enter the town.
Rising to the right, you will reach the romanesque-gothic Cathedral dedicated to San Leopardo, firth bishop of the city. Walking though the courtyard of the Episcopal Palace, admiring the numerous roman inscriptions, enter the church, where is located the suggestive crypt. In the courtyard is also located the entrance of the Diocesan Museum, preserving different pieces of sacred and religious art. Next to the Cathedral is the Baptistry, with a magnificent bronze baptismal font (XVII cent.). From the square of the Cathedral, the route continues through the alley Grimmari Buttari, at the end of which, on the left, is located the unsacred church of San Francesco, and the beautiful gardens of Piazza Nuova – where you'll be pleased by the wonderful landscape on the surroundings.

Go back towards the long Piazza del Comune, center of the town, where numerous nobility palaces are facing the vast Town Hall, elegant building having on either side the Civic Tower (XIII cent.). In the entrance hall are located 12 headless statues (beheaded), which gave the inhabitants the name of "without heads".

From the square continue along the Corso Mazzini, faced by the Nuova Fenice theatre, recently restaured. Along the left parallel street is located the basilica of S. Giuseppe da Copertino, with adjointed museum and modern crypt preserving the body of the saint. At the end of the Corso, facing the Dante square, you'll find the Palazzo Campana, harmonic building today home of exibitions, meetings and the Civic Museum. From the square, the route descends again in the direction of the Vaccaro door, next to which is situated the church of San Marco: inside is preserved a precious painting of Guercino.

THE SURROUNDINGS

Reached the bottom of the valley, direction Macerata, go towards Padiglione, from where departs a street going to Campocavallo. Here is located the famous shrine of the Madonna of Campocavallo (Addolorata), home of pilgrimage after a "wonder" happend in the 1892. Every first of august, in this place is held the "Celebration of the Sheaf": the paesants, after the reaping, carry the sheafs to the shrine, and there they compose a monument to the virgin Mary (the drawings are different every year).